The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, which includes several Shiite armed factions, announced that it had targeted a second U.S. KC‑135 aircraft in western Iraq within the past 24 hours.

In a statement, the group said its fighters had targeted “a second KC‑135 aircraft belonging to the American occupation in western Iraq with the appropriate weapon,” noting that the aircraft was hit and its crew managed to escape with it before making an emergency landing at an unspecified airport. No further details were provided.

Earlier, the Iraqi Resistance claimed responsibility for downing a U.S. KC‑135 aircraft in western Iraq. The Khatam al‑Anbiya Central Command of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps also confirmed that an American KC‑135 refueling aircraft had been shot down in western Iraq by a missile fired by “resistance groups,” referring to Iraqi Shiite factions. A spokesperson for the command said the strike caused the aircraft to crash, killing all crew members.

Meanwhile, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a statement today that the aircraft was lost during Operation Epic Fury in friendly airspace, stressing that the incident “was not the result of hostile or friendly fire,” without explaining the circumstances of the crash or disclosing the fate of the crew.

The KC‑135 Stratotanker is a strategic aerial refueling aircraft that plays a central role in long‑range air operations, enabling bombers and fighter jets to remain in operational areas for extended periods. It is considered one of the most sensitive U.S. military assets in the Middle East.